BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - France stuck to its guns Friday after forcing a suspension of efforts to reform the European Union's generous farm subsidy program, insisting the supports are not to blame for the woes of poor farmers in the developing world.
A day after aborted talks in Luxembourg among EU farm ministers, the EU presidency and its executive Commission said they would produce an "improved" proposal by the time they reconvene on Tuesday. "Our goal is to have an honest and fair compromise next week," said Greek Agriculture Minister Georgios Drys, who chairs the meeting.
"This has to be agreed quickly," he added, so that the EU can go to World Trade Organization talks in Mexico's Cancun in September "with a unified, strong and a reasonable position."
In Berlin, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also expressed hope for a "positive result that allows us as Europeans to appear together in Cancun."
French opposition to developing countries' demands for phasing out rich world farm subsidies almost sank the last ministerial meeting of the WTO two years ago in Doha, Qatar.
Speaking to young farmers in Paris, French President Jacques Chirac expressed annoyance at the "permanent questioning" of the EU's agricultural support program, worth about $68 billion Cdn - of which French farmers receives the lion's share.
The program is "not responsible for all the maladies of the world," said Chirac, a former farm minister. He also said the program is "not the enemy of agriculture in developing countries."
He criticized the "purely commercial approach" of the WTO on agriculture, arguing for a "balanced approach with respect to the culture and the level of development of the countries."
"France will not accept just any agreement from Brussels," he added.
"We forget too often that behind these debates are men, women and families whose income depends on our choices."
The French farm lobby has long had a powerful impact on policy and its demonstrations have put intense pressure on French governments in the past.
Critics charge the EU subsidies - which pay farmers based on how much they grow - encourage overproduction that gets dumped on world markets, depressing prices.
Although designed to keep family farms alive and preserve the countryside, most of the benefits go to large-scale producers.
While France led the fight in Luxembourg, many countries were opposed to a complete "decoupling" of subsidies and production for fear that would lead many farmers, especially in disadvantaged areas, to abandon farming altogether.
The EU wants to shift some of the money to rural development and environmental protection programs.
Franz Fischler, the EU commissioner responsible for drafting the reform, said he was open to "reasonable solutions" but warned against a "halfhearted reform."
"We have to have a market system that functions," he said.
As the EU's biggest paymaster, Germany had been in the pro-reform camp, but shocked many just ahead of this week's meeting by striking a deal with France on a "joint negotiating position," which calls for a watered-down reform.
French officials, backed by Germany, also were insisting that two crucial sectors - cereals and dairy - be left untouched until 2013, EU officials said.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.